Blake back in comfort zone
2008-07-16 07:29
Indiana - James Blake buried a pair of dismal recent European showings as he earned a hard-court victory on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships.
The top seeded American, who lost in the second round of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, returned to his element as he beat Israeli Dudi Sela 7-6 (7/2) 6-2.
But Blake admitted it didn't all go his way against the world number 78, going down an early break before getting it back.
The Israeli then saved a pair of set points in the ninth game and broke Blake as he served for the set leading 5-4.
A tiebreaker finally settled the set, with Blake finding enough form for a Michael Jordan-style leaping return of a lob on his way to victory.
"I didn't start great but I knew I could still play great tennis. I knew I could get back in and win the match," said the world number eight.
Blake, the 2006 champion, is chasing his first trophy since New Haven in August of 2007.
Surgery
Home soil has been good to Blake who has won five of his ten career titles on this side of the Atlantic.
Fifth seed Tommy Haas advanced over American Jesse Levine 7-6 (7/4) 6-2, with the 30-year-old German keen to continue his career as long as his shoulder holds up after another surgery in late 2007.
"I?ve been out for a few years here and there. But I'm feeling fit and I can do some damage," he said.
"If the shoulder bothers me again and I start to struggle, we'll just have to see."
Frenchman Fabrice Santoro ended what may have been his final showing at the event with a double fault.
Santoro, who first played here in 1991, committed a fourth service error on match point as the 35-year-old lost in the first round to America's Rajeev Ram 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.
His defeat came just 48 hours after the 35-year-old had won his sixth career singles title on grass at Newport, but the change of surfaces came too quickly for the veteran.
'Conditions'
"It is completely different," he said of the obvious contrast between grass and cement.
"I was able to practise for just 45 minutes on Monday and conditions were really hot today."
Santoro said that while he might not fully retire in 2009, as he had hinted, he would reduce his schedule to around 15 events.
"I won't play 24 or 26 like I have done," said the Geneva-based father of a seven-year-old daughter.
"My body is fine, I've been lucky. And I'm always happy to be on the court.
"Of course I do everything possible to try and win my matches, but losing doesn't bother me quite as much as it did when I was younger."
American journeyman Bobby Reynolds beat 2007 finalist Frank Dancevic for the second time in as many meetings, taking down the Canadian 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 6-2.
The pair met three weeks ago at Wimbledon, with Reynolds winning that one as well.
In other matches, John Isner won a battle of Americans over Robert Kendrick 7-5 6-4, Jun Woong-sun of South Korea stopped Australian Chris Guccione 6-4 7-6 (7/4). Veteran Vince Spadea beat teenager Donald Young 6-2 6-4.